The girl on fire
by livinglittlelie
Summary: Welcome to Panem, where once a year The Hunger Games is held and 24 teenagers of the different Districts fight to death along their pokemon. Welcome to a country which its main way of entertainment is to see how people kill each other. But what will happen when a young girl decides that it was enough?
1. Cracks of the world

It was a sunny and peaceful morning. Birds were singing and all kind of pokemon were playing with each other. A girl wearing worn out black trousers and a big gray scarf walked inside a meadow with her Fletching flying above her, and sat down on a fallen tree. All the pokemon gathered around her; there was something that was different from any other human, her presence calmed them down.

Her Fletching landed on her trainer's head and began tweeting a song, and she followed singing the lyrics.

_I remember tears streaming down your face_

_when I said I'll never let you go_

_when all those shadows almost killed your light_

_I remember you said don't leave me here alone_

_But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight._

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_The morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

The song that her brother used to sing when she had nightmares. The one that when she was older taught her. But her brother wasn't there anymore. The Capitol had killed him.

She felt a tug and looked down; a Poochyeena had bitten gently her T-shirt. She petted him and barked happily. Some Marills approached with some berries, which she took grateful.

She spent more time with them, just enjoying their company, but she knew she had to go, so she stood up, said goodbye to her friends and went to the secret entrance of District 12, her home. She went through a hole of the metal fence, which, despite what people believed, wasn't electrified.

She walked through little and dark streets and after leaving far behind the fence she went to the main road. The District was quieter than it used to be and Peacekeepers were starting to fill the streets. When she arrived home, she could smell a sweet scent that came from the open windows of the kitchen. She entered home, went to the kitchen and left her bag on the table after she kissed her mother's cheek. Her blond, nearly white hair was shining with the light of that clear morning, and when she looked at her, kind green eyes were welcoming her.

"Thank goodness! I was starting to worry about Peacekeepers having discovered you."

She smiled. "Come on memma, you know I am more intelligent that these big but tiny brained men that wear feminine uniforms. Moreover, I had Flare with me, he can protect me from any danger."

"Yeah the little but brave and strong flame! But hon, I'm just asking you to be more careful... Is it too much?"

"Nope memma, I can promise that."

"Okay." she said, now at ease "Hurry up, you have a cool bath waiting for you and some girly clothes. I'll finish lunch and then I'll help you."

"Thank you" and after giving her a peck on her cheek, she went to the bathroom.

Her mother lied to her. The water was freezing, and after taking off her warm clothes the cold sensation just increased. She managed to clean herself while shivering and went outside the bathtub as soon as she could and enveloped herself with a big towel, trying to stop her arms from shaking more.

She put on her underwear and released Flare.

"Hey buddy! Do you want a bath? The water is a bit cold though." He replied with two tweets of happiness "Okay then, let's begin."

He went inside and outside the water fast, and he stayed floating softly on the surface. The girl cleaned the dirt that was covering his legs, removed the tiny leafs that had got stuck among his feathers, and when she finished she lifted him, because he couldn't fly for the weight of the water that dumped his wings, and she put her dear pokemon on the table, where he shook off drops of water and fluffed his wings.

The door flew open and her mother came inside. "Oh my my, look at that mess! And you haven't even dried your hair."

"I had to wash him."

Her mother sighed. "Okay, go get dressed. I'll clean that a bit and then we can do up your hair."

She went to her room and looked at the clothes that her mother had prepared for her. It was a simple white sleeveless dress with a flower pattern, the chest zone was tight and wavy under her waist. She tried it on, and noticed it fit her completely.

"It does suit you." her memma approached

"It's... it's... very beautiful memma."

"It's my mother's Reaping dress. She had to make it sleeveless because her Pansear burned one sleeve playing with your grandpa's Pollywag... But I think that way is prettier."

"Yeah... But mum, why are you giving it to me now?"

"It gave me good luck the last three years that I had to be in the Reaping. I hope it gives you luck too"

"Thank you." she hugged her.

"You're very welcome, dear."

Her mother combed her hair with care and delicacy, as if it was a magnificent treasure. Her dark blonde waves were starting to define a non abstract mess. Then, she began wreathing the hair of the top of her head, making her face totally visible, and let the rest of her hair loose, which made soft natural.

"That's it. Let me fix the top a little bit and you're done."

"Wow... How did you do that with my hair?"

She winked at her reflection on the mirror. "Years of practice." Then she got suddenly serious. "Honey, if today they say your name, you have to know that I love you, no matter what you have to do in the Arena to survive... but I just want you to promise me something, if you can avoid it, don't play the Capitol's game of death."

"I know. I'll never forget what my brother did for the sake of district 12."

Her mother pecked her on the cheek and she went downstairs, where someone was waiting for her. It was Bianca, her only childhood friend, and the only one, after her mother, who knew almost all of her secrets.

She was wearing a white shirt and dark blue skirt, and a braid that gathered up all the hair that used to be covering her face.

"Hi little charmander! Ready to go?" Bianca said, using the nickname that she gave her six years ago.

"Ladies first, leafey."

Her mother came and hugged Bianca. "Go my little ladies," and looking to both sides of the street added "and may the odds never be on your side."

Both girls walked silently through all the streets that leaded to where the reaping was held, enjoying what could be their last moment together.

"How many times your name is inside this year?"

"Seventeen. We had to take care of an ill Miltank and we didn't have enough food. You?"

"Twenty-one... Bennie is growing up fast and now he eats more than last year and my parents can't afford a good nutrition, so Alec and I had to ask an extra tesserae each."

"These are too many entries, Bi."

"There are a lot of people, even my brother, that have it worse than me." she looked at her "Please, Leen, promise me that you aren't going to volunteer for me. I couldn't live with the knowledge that you died for me."

Because District twelve hadn't had a winner for decades.

"Only if you promise me the same."

"Okay."and with a sigh said "and may the odds not be on our side today."

The two girls were standing in the middle of a girl's crowd silent. There weren't too much people talking, only a few Peacekeepers that were betting about the age of the tributes of this year.

For those teenager that were standing in that square, it was a sad moment. They knew that today two of them would go and never come back. That someone could be a friend, a brother or even someone that they didn't know well, but it didn't matter. Because two people were going to die.

The escort climbed up the stairs that led to a rudimentary platform where the microphone and the two reaping balls were. Those last two years the escort had been a man that followed the extravagant style of The Capitol. That day he wore a blue shiny tuxedo that combined with the color of his hair and eyes.

"Hello everyone and welcome to the eighty-seventh Hunger Games. My name is Philip Brendan and I am very pleased to be your escort today. Let's begin with the Reaping." he approached to one reaping ball. "As always, let's begin with the ladies."

He began touching different papers, and when he picked up one, she felt her heart stop. Everything started to move slow motion, and when he opened his lips, she already knew what he was going to say.

"Aileen Marie Keegan"


	2. Difficult goodbyes

She heard a gasp beside her. Bianca began crying when the Peacekeepers approached them. She knew that she was probably going to lose her best friend, her other self, and couldn't do anything, not even offering herself for tribute.

Aileen breathed deeply and made a step ahead. I have to be brave she thought, for Bianca, my mother... For John...

So she went to the platform by herself, without looking behind her, even if the Peacekeepers made sure to let her know she couldn't escape. She climbed the stairs and stared at the crowd. All of them were looking at her with sorrowful eyes. They knew what happened to her brother, and also knew what was going to happen to her.

The escort kept talking without noticing the mood, or just ignoring it, and picked up a paper from the other reaping ball.

"William Scott"

A little boy with big blue eyes and black curly hair went upstairs and stood beside her. Physically, he seemed a 12-year-old young boy, but something in his eyes told her that not everything about him was what it seemed.

"Now, "continued the escort" release your pokemon."

Will was first, and released a little Umbreon that glared the crowd, who murmured. District 12 was quite big, but Aileen liked to believe she knew almost everyone living there, although it seemed she was wrong, because she hasn't seen the boy until then.

She grabbed her pokeball, kissed it and mumbled "Flare, time to shine."

She released her pokemon, and he went out wrapped on fire. When the flames dissipated, she saw her pokemon: not a Fletching but a Fetchinder was flying near her, and landed on an arm she had extended.

"Welcome to the Eightyseventh hunger games, and may the odds be always on your side."

She was sitting on a chair of the waiting room. Two peacekeepers were outside, guarding the door. She heard a click and looked at the door: her mother just stepped in and a teary Bianca that hurried and hugged her tightly.

"Bi! What are you doing here?"

"Sisters are allowed here, stupid"

"But you aren't my sister."

"Yup, but they don't know that."

Her mother came beside her and Aileen hugged her. A lonely tear fell from the corner of her eyes when was in her mother's embrace. She was saying goodbye to one of her children, also her only alive relative, and that killed her.

"Mum, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't apologize, my girl, it's not your fault. You know who is the bad guy here."

'Memma..."

"Don't end up playing their game, remain being yourself."

They fell silent and just hugged each other, until a knock of the door told us that their time had ended.

They left, guided by a Peacekeeper, and several minutes later came another one with Will behind him, who sat beside her. They stood at the other outer of the room and spoke in whispers, but she could heard them perfectly.

"Any news?"

"Not really... Well, if you ask me..." he looked at the little boy, that was looking through the window "This poor bastard didn't have any visits, dude. He has spent all the time doing the same he's doing now."

"Really?" he laughed "Even his family don't want him wow..."

Aileen gasped and looked at the little boy that was sitting beside her. He tried to make a poker face, but his eyes were watering.

"Hey" She said out loud "How can you say that of a poor boy without knowing anything? And somewhere where he can hear you perfectly? You two should apologize."

They stared at me blankly.

"H-hey what are you saying? How dare you defy us!"

"I'm not defying you, I'm just remarking a fact."

"Do you want me to kill you, girl?"

"Do it. Better die here that in the Arena. But... what are you going to say to your superiors about the sudden death of someone you should have protected? And here" said pointing to the boy "you can see an eyewitness that could explain everything."

He opened and closed his mouth like a fish and coughed.

"Y-you!" he glared at her "... Okay. All the people inside this room will forget this conversation. But don't you dare do that again."

They continued waiting, silently this time. Will was looking at her intensely, and she was starting to feel uncomfortable. Maybe He doesn't like to be defended...

Someone opened the door, and more peacekeepers went in,

"Any problems?"

"No."

They escorted them to the station, where almost all the population of the District 12 was waiting them to come. There also were some cameras, recording the mass of people and the tributes.

The escort was waiting them at the platform and joined them.

"Now guys, you have to smile and wave goodbye. We'll talk about how to behave at the Capitol at dinner."

They looked at the crowd when they saw it. A hand was raised doing the symbol of loss, with three fingers kissed and pointing to the sky. It was soon followed with one more hand and slowly, all of them were doing the same action, their right arm pointing to the sky.

The peacekeepers began to move and dragged them inside the train, closed the door and immediately it started moving.

Aileen looked through the window how her district, the place where she had always lived, was slowly disappearing to show a green landscape.

"Whew, I bet The Capitol didn't expect that. It was hilarious."

She turned around and saw what before was their escort: he had taken off his jacket, that was on the floor at that moment, and had a blue wig in his left hand, so they could see his dark wild hair. He opened a window and lighted up a cigarette.

"Sorry 'bout the mess, but the stupid wig itched like hell. Oh, and call me Phil."

They stared blankly at him.

"Wh-what is this?"

"I'm just a normal guy trapped in Capitol's web that struggles to survive inside this crazy world. They assigned me this job and in order to earn money for my family I have to do all that facade every time the Reaping comes." he took a drag of his cigarette "Anyway, here I have the keys of your rooms. Go relax a little before the dinner begins; we've got important things to talk about."

He handed them two door cards and walked away waving lazily. They walked down the corridor silently until they reached their rooms. She opened her door and was about to go inside, but something tugged the skirt of her dress. She turned around and saw William looking away, but holding her skirt.

"Do you need something?"

He stared at me "What you did in that waiting room was the silliest thing that a human being could have ever done."

"Uh... I know... Bu-"

"But... thank you" he blushed "for standing back for me. I appreciate it." he suddenly pointed at her, his cheeks really red "if you tell someone what I've just said you're dead, ok?"

"Sure, sure" she smiled and rubbed his hair, shaking his curls "It'll be our secret."

"H-hey! Don't do that again, you idiot!"

"Geeeez, see you at dinner William." she walked towards her door.

"...Will"

She looked back at the boy, who was looking to the floor.

"You can call me Will if you like." And with that he turned around and went to his room, slamming the door.

She chuckled. "So cute." And closed her room's door.


	3. Keep your enemies close

Inside her room, she laid on the bed and stared the ceiling. She couldn't believe how all her world had changed in a couple of hours, and she could do nothing to go back time, back when she was happy.

She thought about the boy inside the room in front of her. He had something about him that she couldn't really understand. He had an aura of solitude that made her want to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay, but she didn't know how he would act. It seemed like he preferred to be alone, but maybe that was just a facade, just like Phil's. If what the guard said back at the waiting room was true, it could explain everything. But she knew she wouldn't know until he told her, if he did trust her sometime.

She got up and went to the closet. So many stunning and expensive-looking dresses hung on perches, separated by colors. She found normal jeans and a T-shirt inside the last drawer and decided to take a shower, so she put off her dress and carefully put it on a chair and walked to the bathroom, wearing her underwear and bringing with her her clothes. Inside, she released Flame, which landed on the top of the toilet.

"Hey buddy, how are you? Would you like to sing for me? It will help me calm my nerves..."

He tweeted agreeing, and began singing the melody of her brother's song. Inside the shower, she fumed the melody with him, and for a moment, she could imagine herself under a waterfall with different pokemon, just free.

She came out the shower, feeling a bit better, and put on her clothes. She looked at a clock: 7:38 PM, time to go have dinner. She went outside her room and walked all the corridor to the dining room of the train. There she could see Phil smoking sat on a couch and Will, who was sitting at the table, looking at the food that was on it. She approached him and sat down by his side.

"How are you?"

"Good."

"Okay... If anything bothers you let me know, okay?"

He stared at her. "...Fine."

"So, "Phil approached" do you have any problems with the rooms? Do you need more normal clothes?"

"It could be good. I don't get why are there formal dresses if we are alone inside that train."

"You're totally right, Mrs Keegan."

"Oh please, call me Aileen."

They heard the sound of the door opening, and a tall woman came inside. She had gray long hair and brown wise eyes.

"Boys, let me introduce you; this is Lenora Syke, she is going to be your instructor from now on. Lenora, they are Aileen Keenan and William Scott."

"Nice to meet you two. I would have like that we met in other circumstances than these ones, but it can't be helped. Come on, let's eat."

They all began eating not saying much until Will opened his mouth.

"So what is the plan?"

"About what?"

"About the games, _obviously_. Or are you going to leave us there hoping that we die fast?"

"Will, that was rude."

He looked at her. "I'm sorry" he finally mumbled

"But it doesn't mean you aren't right. What are we going to do?"

"First of all, we have to see the Reaping. 'Know your enemy', don't they call it like that? And then, we will see what we do."

They continued eating, tension rising until The Hunger Games' hymn was played on television. The host introduced the show and gave permission to begin to show a resume of all the Reapings.

The first couple gave Aileen goose bumps. The boy was tall and strong, and his Machoke was intimidating. The girl was tiny, with curly long blond hair and a bright smile. Her Spritzee was floating lightly, and had a sachet hung on its neck. Something about them was off, they had that look which told her they weren't worried about being chosen. They actually wanted it to happen.

The couple of District two wasn't better. The boy, that was around the same age as Will, was smiling grimly while his sabeleye was looking at the people without emotion. If you were concentrated enough, you could notice his fit body under the T-shirt. The girl, which had a Japanese name she couldn't remember, released a well trained doublade, she took each part of the pokemon as if they were swords and stared the crowd intimating.

"...not good." She said unconciously.

"No, it's not." Lenora agreed

A cheer erupted from the TV and they watched it again, trying to know what was going on. A boy with spiky blond hair was smiling and waving the crowd. Screams of girls could be heard and he responded with winks. 'How insufferable' she thought. He had an Ampharos whose tail ball shined a bit, a sign of good care and loyalty. Something about that boy made her want to smack a wall so strongly that she couldn't remember anything about the girl of District 3.

The rest of tributes were what they were expected to be. One girl of District 8 had to give her Dtto to the authorities because it was a forbidden pokemon, so The Capitol would give her a pokemon for the arena. That girl had already written her sentence of death; the link of pokemon and trainer was one of the few things that kept you alive at the arena.

Then, the turn of District 12 arrived. Aileen saw herself on the TV, looking at the crowd, broken. She saw Will by her side, showing no emotion. It was different watching what happened at the TV than living it, yet she felt the same way she did hours before.

The evolution of Flame changed the mood, though. she smiled to herself 'He is very brave. He evolved to show the world our strength.'

The Reaping resume ended and the commentators of The Games began talking, making Phil switch the TV off.

"I hate those pretentious showmen."and then he lighted a cigarette, took a shot and exhaled the smoke.

"Okay" Lenora said "Release your pokemon."

Both of them did what the lady told them. Flame stretched his wings, and Will's Umbreon sat down and smelled the air, analyzing the room.

"Now, tell me. Which qualities do you have that could let you survive?"

"Aileen is a hunter." Will said out loud "And a very good one, I should add. She has callosity on her hands, which expresses practice, and she has a flying pokemon that can help her at the hunt."

"Is that true?"

"Yeah, it is..." the Umbreon approached to her and she rubbed his head absently "My brother taught me how to use the arch and some traps before he... Before he left."

"You also have good hand with pokemon. Umbreon don't normally trust other people that aren't their trainer." Phil added.

"That's a good beginning. What about you, William?"

"I am clever. I can see things about people that others don't and guess their moves before they can ever notice me."

"He is also little. Better at hiding than most of the other tributes."

"Okay, then. That is the plan. Observe all the other tributes, know their good and bad points. That'll be helpful at defending yourself. At public acts act like brother and sister. The Capitol absolutely _loves _any kind of love at their games. Do you have any objections, so far?"

"Any. Let Will the observation thing. I'll be the annoying older sister." She smiled

Will's ears turned red, but he didn't make any objections.

"Okay. Tomorrow we'll arrive to the Capitol. They'll dress you up, bath you... all Capitol's beauty treatments. Then at night there'll be the tribute's presentation. Tomorrow will be a hard day, so I advise you sleep well today."

Aileen nodded and left to her room. There, she took off her clothes, put on some pajamas and lied on her bed, feeling suddenly exhausted. She barely could release Flare, that flew to the couch and landed there.

She spaced out a bit when she heard a knock on her door. She got up and opened it; outside her room was standing Will, wearing a loose jumper and sport shorts.

"Are you okay?" She asked

"...yes." after some hesitation, he said _"canIsleepwithyou?Idon'tlikethisplace_."

She saw his cheeks slightly red when he looked down. 'Poor boy.' she thought 'He should have been feeling so alone to come and ask me that.'

"Okay. Come inside."

He twitched his lips up a bit and went inside.

"I am little, you won't notice me."

They laid down, Will like a ball at a corner of the bed.

"Good night."

"... night" he mumbled

She stared at the ceiling and with the sound of his heavy breaths, she drifted off to sleep.


	4. Make me up

A knock wake her up. She looked around, confused and heard a voice outside.

"Aileen, time to wake up. And if Will is not there and you find him before I do, tell him I'm going to murder him."

She looked down. Will somehow had moved asleep and was grabbing her T-shirt, sound asleep. Something in the way he was sleeping reminded her of a little cat.

"Yeah" she said, smiling to herself "he's here."

"Good. I'll be waiting for you two at the living room in thirteen minutes."

She heard him leave. Slowly, she rubbed the hair of the boy lying beside her, and he began to purr before slowly opening his eyes.

"Good morning." she smiled

"Mornin'" he answered, rubbing his eyes.

"We have to be prepared in 30 minutes."

He hid his face with a pillow.

"I don't want to... It's dull."

"There will be strawberry crepes."

"... With strawberry slices?" he opened an eye

"Yep."

He got up and stumbled at the door, opened it and left in a rush. She laughed and got up too, going to the shower.

She put on one of the expensive-looking dresses that were in her wardrobe, as there was nothing else more comfortable and went outside, with Flare following her.

At the living room there was Will, who was digging his spoon in a crepe which had little slices of strawberry on it. Phil was reading a newspaper while drinking a cup of coffee, and Lenora was sipping a cup of tea.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late."

"Indeed."

"No, you're not. This boy hurried us up so he could eat a crepe. It was... what did he say? An issue of major importance."

He blushed. "Do you want me to talk about your most hidden secrets? If not, stop making fun of me." Phil raised an eyebrow "District six."

Phil opened and closed the mouth like a fish and sighed.

"Okay prat... You're more clever than I thought. Still, it's not such a big secret."

"What are you talking about?" She took a seat

"Actually, I am from District six. A conflictive orphan kid that fought for a piece of bread. One day the escort of my district found me at a dead end with a broken leg and bleeding badly, so she took care of me and when I was recovered, she adopted me."

"So there are people at The Capitol that aren't bad, after all."

"Very few, and I've met a lot of people. Because of that I have to keep it in secret, if someone finds out they could tell the Peacekeepers. And they wouldn't treat me nicely, let's put it like that."

They finished their breakfast silently, and Aileen looked at the window. The landscape started changing from forest and nature to modern civilization, and she knew they would arrive soon. She went to her room and caught what she wanted to keep: her pokeball and the necklace her brother gave her. She saw her mother's dress lying on the couch, where she left it and sighed; she couldn't take the dress with her, and they wouldn't return it to her mother.

She opened the door when the train started to slow down and went where Will was standing. She could see the tall buildings of the capitol, almost reaching the sky, and gasped.

"There isn't enough technology in any district to build one of these."

"In one of them could live all District 12."

"Boys." Phil called "Come here, we're arriving soon."

He was wearing the wig again and an aquamarine suit. He sighed.

"I hate that outlandish style."

The train stopped and the doors opened. The Peacekeepers escorted them through different rooms and when they reached an specific one they left her there alone. Minutes later, a group of three woman wearing pink dresses went in, talking about beauty treatments.

"Look, look, she is here already!" they came closer "My name is Lilly, and they are Trix and Eponie. We are going to make you more beautiful that you already are!"

"Look at her hair, Ep. So long and soft... I could totally spend months playing with it."

"Hm... we'll have to insist on that hands though, so callous and dirty."

Aileen found herself pawed by three women that had just met, and it didn't feel right. They led her to another room, which had a bathtub at the middle of it. Lilly undressed her and threw the dress at a corner of the room, and the other two released two pokemon, a Ralts and a Audino, and made her go inside the tub.

She relaxed a bit because of the hot water and the massage the one with gold hair, Trix, she guessed, was doing her. She felt someone lifting her left leg and putting something sticky on it. She looked down, dumbfounded when Eponie dragged out the paper, which made her scream of the sudden pain.

"Oh honey, I keep forgetting that you don't wax yourselves outside. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait until I finish."

The torture lasted for half an hour, and in that time Trix had removed every single hair that wasn't on the right place. Eponie was doing the manicure to her, and she saw a glimpse of Lilly washing Flare, that was struggling to escape, but he was controlled by Ralts' psychic powers.

They made her go out of the bath and enveloped her with soft pink towels. She sat on a very comfortable chair in front of a big mirror and Lilly approached.

"How are you feeling?"

"Clean and sore." she joked

"It often happens. Sometimes it's difficult to keep up with that modern style of life." she extended cream on her face, doing little circular moves "You don't have to worry, these days we are going to take care of you."

She began humming a song that Aileen hadn't heard in her life while she began making her up.

"You have to see your dress. It's absolutely gorgeous. The designer has done the work of her life."

She grabbed the eyeshadow set and asked her to close her eyes. There, at the Capitol, it was difficult to be pretty. Aileen began to feel the amount of make up that was on her face, and thought about what the Capitol inhabitants should do everyday to look pretty and found it tiresome. At District 12 beauty was something more natural because they didn't have make up there. There you could see a person for who he was, not what they tried to be, and she somehow preferred that.

A door opened and a tiny girl went inside the room. She was wearing black glasses and her brown hair loose, and carried some boxes. _She seems... normal, _Aileen thought. Behind her, a Baileef carried some clothes on her back.

"Oh, you finished! Good job Lilly." she looked at her "Hello, my name is Diora and I am your designer for these games." she lifted her right hand and Aileen shook it wary."Can you stand up?"

The Baileef approached while Diora made some measurements of her body with a measuring tape.

"Yep, I didn't miscalculated. I should say that your Reaping gave me a lot of inspiration for the dress." she grabbed something from her pokemon's back "Raise your arms. Yep, like this. Stay still, I'll check if I need to do some changes."

She went to the back of the dress. The pokemon approached even more, sniffing the air like a hound. After some seconds, it rubbed his head with her right hand and she petted it gently.

"Leafey! Don't move her. Okay, we've been lucky. We don't need to change anything. You can look now."

She turned around and saw her reflection on the mirror. The dress was sleeveless and black at the zone of her chest, pitch black, but somehow the texture at the back was different.

"I'm very fond of that dress. Look, at the back it has a special setup that when activated it throws little particles of fire. Don't look at me with that face!" she said after seeing her dumbfounded look "It's inoffensive, look."

She took a rectangular black plastic cage out of her pocket and suddenly her arm was on fire. Aileen exclamed and made a step back, but after realising that Diora wasn't suffering any pain she went nearer.

"You see? It doesn't burn me. Even if I pass my hand above it."

"The Capitol has pretty awesome toys." she said, impressed.

"I know!"

Suddenly the door opened and Trix went inside the room escorting Will, that was wearing a T-shirt and pants te same colour that her dress.

"Is he going to have fire too?"

"No, it is going to throw tiny pieces of ice, like snow. Look, when I saw your Reaping I thought 'Wow she is so spirited and he is so cold!' But somehow, when you two are together you complement each other, you can't see any sign of repulsion. So the black is for the charcoal of your mines, and the fire and the ice is a sign of unity, so we can show the Capitol that even if you two seem very different, you are made to be together."

She left her speechless. Will struggled and then asked.

"Will I be able to have a piece of these material? I want to study how it works."

Diora laughed sweetly. "Of course, William."


	5. Carroussel

**Hello! I know you're not used to my AN, but I want to apologize for my delay publishing this chapter. The past chapter and maybe the ones coping are a bit of filler, but they are important to see the psychological change of the characters and build a base for the story itself. I hope you keep reading my story, it's one of the ones I love the most.**

All the tributes were waiting for the show to get started. It was the first time that they could see their rivals and their pokemon in real life.

As always there were designers that thought that making the tributes wear the uniform of the District was a good way of showing off. It wasn't. Others, like Diora, had more imagination and confectioned prettier dresses. The girl in District 1 was wearing a pink silk dress with big ribbons that made her look absolutely adorable (and that fact gave Aileen goose bumps). District 6's dresses were simulating trees. Original, but not beautiful.

Aileen was standing there, looking at everybody when someone came.

"Nice dress"

She remembered him. He was the annoying boy from District 3. He was wearing a suit that seemed to be taken out a scy-fi movie, and he had something that seemed a tool of communication on his head, knowingly collocated to not fade the wild character of his blonde spiky hair.

"Thank you." she answered reluctantly.

"Your name is Aileen, isn't it? Pretty spectacular, your presentation."

"I couldn't say the same of yours." Will stood in front of her

"Oh, I know. Not good first impression, huh? Well, my name's Keith, nice to meet you two."

"What do you want, Keith?" Aileen began to feel slightly annoyed

"Just get to know the other tributes. No big deal, _Aileen_." he purred like a cat

"Well that's it. You're Keith, she's Aileen and I am William. If you excuse us, we have to go and talk to our instructor."

Will tugged her and made her move away from the charming guy. She looked left and saw the girl from District 2 looking at their way, pensive. She was wearing a cobalt blue kimono, her long hair in two pigtails.

She felt another stretch and continued walking. They stopped in front of their carriage, where Lenora was waiting for them.

"Be prepared, the show will start soon."

"I don't like the guy from 3." Will blurted out loud "He tried to charm Aileen. He's bad."

"Will, don't show them what affects you, they could use it against you two."

"I still don't like him."

The hymn started to sound and everybody began to get prepared. Cheers of joy could be heard from outside growing louder and louder. The tributes released their pokemons, and the gates opened.

A man voice began shouting each one of the districts and the carriages began moving.

"And then, let's present District 12!"

Their carriage moved and they went outside. Crowds of people surrounded them, cheering and waving at them when they passed in front of them.

Flare extended his wings and began flying above them, , leaving burning ash behind him. It was the moment. Her back began to throw flames, and Will's little pieces of ice, simulating snow. She caught his hand and smiled warmly when he looked at her way. He nodded and looked at the end of the road, where the other carriages were.

When it was coming to an end, Flare landed on her right arm, and just when they stopped, the hymn ended and their clothes stopped their spectacle.

"Now, the president is going to speak."

The crowd calmed down and applauded. President Hail stood up from his seat and observed the tributes.

"Today, and the days coming are a remaining of how the Capitol protects and cares about the Districts, and reminds them that a country united is always better." the crowd clapped "So tributes, make your District proud of being who they are. Said that, may the Eighty-seventh Hunger Games begin!"

He sighed while taking of the jacket of his tuxedo. Each year was more difficult to coordinate the games, he wasn't the young boy that began his job at the same room he was standing, watching the scenery of the next Hunger Games and correcting some flaws of the system. He was old, but he was too fond of his job to let it go.

Someone knocked at the door.

"President Hail?"

"Come inside, Albert."

A young man with short black hair wearing a red shirt and black tuxedo followed his orders. He was the link between the presidency of Panem and the control of the games, so his job was crucial for the good developing of them.

"What is bothering you at such an delightful night?"

"It's about the Arena. There are so many variables that we have to control this time, and the explorers haven't been able to complete the map of the catacombs. Better not talk about the camera installation."

"Albert, everything's going to be okay."

"But we don't know what is inside of the wreckage, sir!"

"And do you know a better way of exploring that some boys struggling to survive and searching for places to hide? Think about it. They will show us the secrets of them, and we could see them on our monitors. Moreover, you won't find a cheaper way from doing it."

The man looked pensive for a moment and spoke with new resolution. "Okay, let's do it. They are going to be one of the best Hunger Games of the history of Panem." He curtsied "Have a nice night, sir." And he left the old man alone.

He stared at the map that the explorers had sent him a day before. It was a blurry draft, and the president knew there was more than there was drawn.

They had found them by accident trying to find a location to build a exotic hotel surrounded of the wild plants that grew around the Capitol. They didn't know anything about its origin, but the excavation soon became too expensive to keep carrying on. At that moment he had an idea; if he could somehow involve the Hunger Games to the exploration, its benefits would increase exponentially.

So there he was, taking one of the most dangerous risks he had took in all his life, but he only cared about the money, the rich he would become when he discovers what the old subterranean city hides.

He saw how the president laughed silently looking at the Arena hologram and rubbed his nose in revulsion. He took his phone and texted his superiors what he had discovered.

Not knowing what was under the Arena worried him a lot. The unknown was usually one of the main reasons of failure, and he needed this mission to succeed.

Her election of tribute had speeded up the preparations. They needed her for the most important part of the mission, her ability of connect with almost every pokemon was her passport for the organisation's protection, but also a curse. She had a lot of possibilities of dying, not only at the Arena, and that killed him.

So, resigned, he left the mad president there and walked outside. At the roof, he took his phone and called to one of her protectors.

"Phil, it's me." he said after he picked up the phone

"Hello pal, did you miss me?"

"Shut up. How is she?"

"Radiant, beautiful, stunning... You saw that for yourself tonight."

"I'm talking about her emotions, you silly boy."

"Well, she is a tough one. She is taking care of the little boy, well, he doesn't want to go near anybody else."

He smiled sweetly but when he remembered why he called his expressions hardened. "Look, the plan has changed. She needs more protection than she already has, the situation is fucked up."

"Okay, blondie. I will take care of that."

"Don't you ever call me blondie again."

"Heeey relax. Such a serious boy, really... I have to leave you, my wife is waiting for me. Go home like a good boy and stop worrying, Uncle Phil will take care of everything."

"Sometimes I ask myself why I believe in you."

"Because I am astonishing perfect in every way?"

"Shut up. See you tomorrow."

He hung up. He sat down and looked at the city landscape, thinking about the call. He had a fair idea about who would be assigned to protect Aileen, and knew it was the best option, but he was still worried. There were a lot of things that could go wrong, but he would do anything to protect her, even giving his life for it.


End file.
